Indicating means for wells



'llllto be lowered in a well or otlienbody og smi-as( .as

l FRANKM. COLLINS, FULLETON, CALIFORNIA Urraca' f mmeernre MEANS 'nonWELLS This invention is an improvement upon the pressure measuringlmeans described in my co-pending application Ser. No. 281,742,

iled- May 31, l9Z8,.andl has for its ob]ect to not onlv measure pressurebut also indioatejhe temperature and the fluid level in a well or thelike. l @L d More particularly it is an object of the llinvention toprovide amechanism adapted gliqlidnd comprisingpressure and temperi ,OF'elective-connection to a suitable indi.- lcator which 'maybe'wpesitionedn at the supsure or temperature at thevvariouslevels towhich the mechamsmniay belower'ed.l

' I iwIt-is a still further object of the invention `to incorporateinthe mechanism which is loweredv into the well a suitable means mov-.the same indicator? which is adapted to selectively. indicate neitherpressure, or temperatu'reJ-p 'l' It is a still :further object oftheinvention l t'o provide an electrically actuated indicator,

y the circuit through-Which vis completed. by

submergence ,of 'the liquid responsive melium so as -toindicate theliquida level Aby provides in any usual manner (not shown),

initial movement of the indicator, and which indicator is then adaptedfor selective movement in accordance with either pressure ortemperature, so, that by reading correspond1nggraduations eitherpressure or temperature inthe well may be accurately readilyunderstoodrom the following de- Application lled September '26, 1928.Serial No. 308,563.

scription of the accompanying drawings, in which :v

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in axial section, of the mechanismwhich is lowered into the well.

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections yon the lines 2-2 and 3.-3' ofFigJl.,

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram of the invention. v Fig.' 5 is a fragmentaryaxial section 30 through well casing, showing one method ofl loweringthe mechanism into a well.

The invention is adapted for use in connection with any well, shown inFig. 5 as provided with usualwell casing i adapted -35 to receive well'tubing 2; and a housing 3 for the operating mechanism of the indicatormay be lowered in the well and then withdrawn prior to runningthetubinor it may be lowered with the tubing an re- 7o I main in the well-duringproduction as is indicated inlFig. 5. The housing 3 is suspended from asuitable cable 4, which preferably carries electrical conductorsl 5for'the electrical circuit of the apparatus; and the cable may be raisedand lowered by any 'usual' 'drum forming a part-'of the derrickff rigA(not shown), and which provides for measuring iinany usual manner thelength of cable-which has been unwoundso as to'go indicate the "level towhich housing `-lfhas been-lowered in 1 the well, and Vwhich also forconnecting the conductors 5.-to suitable electrical apparatus at thesurface of the g5 a part ofl the housing containing a liquid 95 andarranged whereby said liquid will as-A sume substantially the sametemperature and pressure as that in the wellat the level to which thehousing has been lowered, and.

the apparatus which is operated by its sub- 10 Cil mergence in liquid ispreferably mounted in a head 6 forming a part of Vhousing 3 and open tothe Well bore so that 1:then the housing has been lowered to the levelof the liquid in a well the liquid will enter the head 6 land submergethe said apparatus.

As an instance of this arrangement the housing 3 is shown as anelongated-cylindrical casingyhaving a perforated shoe 7 at its lowerend; and preferably connected at its upper end to a perforatedcylindrical extension forming the'head 6, by means of a coupling 8forming a transverse partition between the main casing and its head. Themain casing'fis preferably filled with the same liquid as is in the Wellbore in which the indicator is to be used, and is then preferablyhermetically sealed, with an.`expan sible member 9 communicating withthe perforated'shoe 7 and extending into the main casing, so that theliquid in the Well entering the perforated shoe and the expansiblemember 9 Will cause substantially-the same pressure in the main casingas in the surj rounding bore. in similar manner heat radiation throughthe Wall of casing 3 Will cause the liquid in the main casing to assumesubstantially the l saineV temperature as in vthe surrounding -Weilbore, and expansion of the liquid in the main casing as a result of arise in temperature is balanced by the expansible member 9 so as tomaintain the same pressure in the -main casing as in the vices areelectrical apparatus adapted to op- `erate an indicating means 'shown asan amperage responsive device, andinclude spindles -15a carrying thecores l-lf of solenoids 17-17f. The spindles at on'eend abut againstcarbon piles 18-18, connected in series --With the correspondingsolenoids 17-17a and with a source of electrical energy and an amperageresponsive device, and

the pressure of tube 12 and strip'l is exerted against the o posite endof the respective spindles, there y automatically tending to balance thecurrent in the respective circuits, since increase in pressure upon aspindle will correspondingly compress its.

cooperating carbon pile and VIthus increase the current through thecooperating lsolenoid so as to oppose said increase in pressure, and asa consequence variations in volt,- age or circuit resistance have noeect upon the current, in the respectivecircuits, which will thus varyfor actuating the corresponding amperage responsive device, strictly inaccordance with variations in the pressure of tube 12 and strip 13respectively. f

The tube 12 maybe mounted upon solenoid 17 by means of a bracket 20,with the end 12a of the tube adapted to curl responsive to the pressurein main casing 3, and preferablyv connected by lever 21 to a leaf spring22 which in turn engages the spindle 15 so that'pressure responsivecurling of the Bourdontube Will exert a corresponding pressure againstthe spindle. @In similar manner the bimetallic strip 13 exerts pressureagainst spindle 15a in accordance with the-,temperature in main casing3, the bimetallic strip being shown as mounted upon a bracket 23 onsolenoid 17 a, with its end 13a connected to spindle 15a and sobent-that it tends to swing in a direction exerting increased pressureon the spindle in accordv, ance with a rise in temperature.

l img the current balancing devicesuis thus .g proportional to pressureand temperature rei spectirayiiarmwlresnand.1.g11 llatuatng' a icooperating amnerage responsive device, and in practice the two circuitsmav be supplied from a common source of electrical energy denotedv at30, and may also includgaalom- The current through the circuits contain:

nicaampmara emresnorisive.. devicaindicatem at 31.V with a Ereversinglswitch 32 and a p f lariaedrglay 33 providinor for selective actuz ationof the amperage-'responsve snqnsnenmeans.

As :an instance lof this arrangement polarized relay 33 may be mountedin casing 3, and said relay and the two current balancing devices mayhave a common support comprising elongated bolts 34 suspended fromtransverse partition-.8 and extending through the casings for thepolarized relay and the solenoids 7l-17a. Certain of these bolts arepreferably insulated as. shown at 34a and form the conductors for theelectric circuit.l

" This circuit is normally' open, and is V adapted to be closed bysubmergence of casing 3 in the liquid in a well, wi',l iat i nit ialfactuationpf the am eragevijesppnsivedevice virali-ademas i an@hqunaaiias.

@been reached, andusiibse'qiieiit further movevortemperaturelfjltlieliduid-depending @pgn L OI' tliemposition ofreversing switchm32u.'

'this purpose a switch 36 is provided in the'v electric circuit and ispreferably mounted in head 6, and is normally held open by thesubmergence responsive apparatus which is mounted in said head,but isadapted to close upon movement of said apparatus responsive to itssubmergence in the liquidy which will a 31 may be any vsuitableindicatorforming l'reeaaoa' 'y .C

enter the perforated head 6 as soon as casingv 3 is lowered to theliquid level'in the well.v As an finstance of this arrangement brackets37 projecting upwardly from transverse partition .8 pivotally support/an annulus 38 which is weighted as shown at39 so as.

yto tend toltilt relative to-itsfpivotal mounting. Switch 36 is shown asav mercury switch suspended from annuius 38 so as to break the circuitas long as the, annulis remains in its normal non-tilted position shownin Fig. 1,but adapted to close theeircuitwhen the annulus is ltilted;and the annulus is normally retained in non-tilted position by anannular iloat resting thereon, with the iioat adapted to rise inhead 6'and thus releasethe annulus for-tilting so f' access. thereto and as aninstance of this arrangement the cable 4 may extend into head 6 and besuitably secured to transverse vpartition 8 as shownat 42, with theconductors 5 electrically connected to conductors 34 'and to switch-36by insulated conductors The amperageresponsive 'movable device eithersimply'a register, or a recorder producing a permanent record, and 1nthe pres- 'ent instance is shown as simply a register comprising ausual: ammeter calibratedat graduations 451-46 :.i:`or pressure andtemperature 4respectlvell L, withthe zeros or sa`1d` graduations preferaly spaced fromthe absolute zero which the-'pointer 47 will assume whenthe circuit is broken, a distanceequalv;

. to the movement of said pointerresponsive to the initialamperageresulting 'from closing; tl1e circuit and before pressure on'either/ spindle 15er- 15a has'ailected an increase..

in the current.

` y By this arrangement,v initial movement of pointer 47 from absoluteZero tothe zero'.

"bf graduations -46,3Lwill indicate vclosing of the electric circuit as.a result ofthe rise of float 40, and will thus indicate that casing 3'has been lowered f'to the liquidflevel in a well;l andsubsequentreadings upon either graduations 45 or 46 selected inaccordaii'ce witli the position'reversing switch 32, willindicatefeither'ithe pressure or-the temperature in the well.

means of cable.4, and without being aff fected by-mere foam in the Well,the float 4() rises and thus permits closing of switch 36l as soon asthe liquid level is reached. .This is indicated by pointer- 47 movingfrom absolute Zero to the zero graduations, and the-length of cable 4which. has been paid out up to this point thus indicates the v I' liquidlevel in the. well. The casing '3 is 4then lowered through the liquid inthe well, and readings are taken at predetermined levels indicated b yspecifiedV additional lengths of the' cable having beennnwound, l

with' these readings taken en either the pressure graduations, 46 or onthe temperature graduations 47, depending upon the data to beascertained as'determined /by 'the selective positioning of reversingswitch 32. lVhenthebottom ofthe bore is reached', switch4 32 is reversedso as to change from pressure ,to .temperature readings or vice versa,and during subsequent4 Withdrawal 'ci' casing 3 -readings are taken-onthe corresponding graduations v45 or 46 at predetermined levelsindicated by the length `er cable 4. f

Such operation presupposes a running in and withdrawal of 4the indicatormechanism, although it may be run in with' tubing 2V as shown in Fig. 5,with cable preferably extending through suitable guides 50 which may beformed en the tubin couplingsv 5l, and then left in the'bore with'casing3 prei"- erably suspended below-the end .of the tubing duringproduction. In this case the liquid level is indicated asppreviouslydescribed, and during lowering of the tubing 2 and casingf3 through theliquid in the well,

thev switch 32 is preferably positioned for pressure readings on ammeter3l, and is only reversed momentarily for temperature -`readings wheneverdesired, but preferably only at .appreciable intervals of depth sincetemperature 1s not subject to changes. When the tubing is in position sovthat casing 3 remains at the same level in the weil, switch 32 ispreferably left in position for vpressure readings, and any furtherindicated changes in pressure Will thus denote a change` in the liquidlevel in t-he well, .and by noting the-pressure for the indicated suddenliquid level at thestart of production, any

subsequent change inthe liquid level may be readily measured bycomputations based upon an indicatedchange in pressure.

l have thus provided extremely simple and lcompact butreliable andeiicient means for ascertaining complete data relative to the liquidlevel and the pressure and temperature at-various levels in a Well, andI have also provided for readily measuring In operation, with swith'32pos1tiori'ed-t0 any change in the liquid level in a well while.selectively include in the circuit either the pressure or thetemperature responsive. mechamsm, the casing 3 1s lowered 1n a well itis on production.

.TWhrle the invention has been described` withparticnlarreference to itsuse in connectiontwith oil wells, it will b e readily apparent that itis applicable to other types of wells or `in actany'body of iiuidconcerning which pressure, temperature and liquid level, data isdesired. Thus for example the casing 3 may be lowered into a naturalbody of water for ascertaining pressure and tem; lperature at differentlevels whennmaking ocean soundings and the like, and it `rwill Y lotherefore be understoodA that reference to wells in the appended claimsis to be construed as a generic designation for any body of fluid.

'35 l. Incombination, an electric circuit inv cluding. an indicatormovable responsive to" electric current variations, a support adapted tobe lowered relativeto said indicator to determined depths in a lbody ofliquid, .the

'20 electric circuit extending tothe support, an electric resistanceelement in the electric circuit and carried` by the support, variableactuating means carried by the support, means'` cooperating with thevariable actuatingmeans for varyingtheresistance element to varyelectriccurrent passing through said resistance element in accordancewithmovev ment of the variable actuating means, a n'orfmally open switch.in the electric circuit, and.v

means carried by the support fori closing said switch responsive tosubmergencefoi` said switch? closing means inrthebody of f liquid. Y 'f2. In combination, an electric circuit'in- Y cluding an indicatormovable responsive tof electric current variations,` a closed containeradapted to be lowered relative to said indi- .Cfator to'determineddepthsin av body' ofi' I liquid, the electric circuit'extending to the 40closed container, -an expansible device in said.

. container and communicating with the interior thereof forvbalancingvthe pressure in side and outside the container, an electricresistance element in theielectric circuit and mounted in theclosedcontainer, a member in theclosed containerl movable in'a'ccordVance with pressure variations, means cooperating with said member forvarying the resistance Aelement to vary electric current 45o passingthrough said resistance element in accordance with movement of themember,

l( a normally open switch in the electric ciri cuit,- and means carriedby the closed container for closing said switch responsive tosubmergence'o said switch closing means in the body of liquid.

In testimony whereof he has aixed his signature. Y

' FRANK M. COLLINS.

